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What was supposed to be a jolly jamboree turned into a violent melee after a man crashed a party at the Cold Lake Seniors Centre on Sunday.

Staff Sgt. Jeremie Landry, commander of the Cold Lake RCMP detachment, said officers were called to the Cold Lake Seniors Centre around 12:45 p.m. Sunday after jamboree attendees reported a strange man was causing a disturbance.

But what officers at first expected to be a fairly mundane call quickly erupted into a violent struggle, with the man damaging the walls and spilling blood all over the main floor of the centre.

“His strength was superhuman,” said Landry, who added police suspect drugs were a factor.

After a lengthy struggle with the man, who police say at one point was choking a responding officer, he was apprehended.

The suspect was taken to Cold Lake Hospital for treatment before being taken into custody.

Two RCMP officers were also taken to hospital where they were treated for minor injuries and released.

“The officer [who was choked] is doing well. Obviously that would be a traumatic event for anyone, but the officer is doing well and has remained on duty,” Landry said.

Landry said numerous witnesses watched the violent altercation unfold, so Victims Services was called in to aid those traumatized by Sunday’s events while officers helped clean up the mess.

“Prior to departing, RCMP members along with Cold Lake City Peace Officers cleaned up, there was a significant amount of blood throughout the bottom floor,” said Landry.

Landry said this case serves as a reminder to police officers to remain vigilant and alert on every call.

“You never know when that one call you are going to, which seems innocent at the start, could end up in an extremely violent encounter just as this one did,” said Landry.

Darcy David Macdonald, 41, of Cold Lake, has been charged with two counts of assaulting a peace officer, two counts of resisting arrest, as well as overcoming resistance by choking to commit an indictable offence. Macdonald is scheduled to appear in Cold Lake Provincial Court on Wednesday.

As Advertised in the Edmonton SUN

What was supposed to be a jolly jamboree turned into a violent melee after a man crashed a party at the Cold Lake Seniors Centre on Sunday.

Staff Sgt. Jeremie Landry, commander of the Cold Lake RCMP detachment, said officers were called to the Cold Lake Seniors Centre around 12:45 p.m. Sunday after jamboree attendees reported a strange man was causing a disturbance.

But what officers at first expected to be a fairly mundane call quickly erupted into a violent struggle, with the man damaging the walls and spilling blood all over the main floor of the centre.